The time has come for me to start this summer's main project. This project is partly why I'm annoyed with the ever expanding thorny berry bushes, they're in my way! The area that I'm fencing this year will double the space the chickens and ducks have for limited free range. This will also protect more fruit trees from larger fruit predators. For instance last year a deer ate the top right off of a young apple tree! He or she didn't just take the apples but ate a foot of branches off the top of the tree.
I started right away after morning animal chores. The first stage was to put up the 10 new t-posts that I bought. This will be one side of three that need to be fenced. As this area will join up with the current chicken fence the 4th side is already done.
 |
| First t-post in! |
 |
| An extra helper? |
KitKat and Rufus both joined me as I hammered in the t-posts. This is typically one of my least favorite jobs around the farm. I don't have great arm strength and I'm short. The t-posts are 6 feet and need to be whacked very hard to get them into the ground good and deep. I had a much easier time getting these 10 t-posts into the ground than any previous group of posts I've done. I was thinking I may not get them all in today but most went in fairly easily, I was so happy about that!
 |
| Rufus seems to be supervising this time. |
 |
| KitKat just wants to play with the tape measure! |
 |
| Gonna get it.... |
 |
| Caught it. I guess life shouldn't be all work and no play even for KitKat. |
Once my 10 posts were in I ran what fence was left from the present chicken yard along the first little bit. The chickens have of course been watching me all through this process. The original flock especially knows that when I'm banging posts and moving fences it will mean more room for them. The thing is that today was not planned to be that day. I still have to t-post 2 more sides and then run the fencing. I haven't even bought the rest of the materials yet. But those birds have me wrapped right around their...um...claws? They had been watching and anticipating. But I was kind of tired....yet there is more spare fence on the remaining side and I could give them some more room, even though it means more work for me as moving out the fence will in no way place this fence where it's final destination will be. Also there are thorns, berry plants everywhere that want to scratch me!
Buffy Puffy seems to be saying PLEASE give us more green space!
I gave in to the birds and took another hour to move the back side of their fence out some more so they can get at some nice greenery. I had to place the fence and posts in a very off shape to accomplish this due to the expanse of thorny bushes and some long, downed tree trunks which haven't been cut up yet. I did it though and the birds are very, very happy.
 |
| Bye bye haskaps (honey berries), this was the first thing the birds went for. They have to be moved anyway due to a peach tree shading them too much. |
 |
| No turning back now. |
 |
| KitKat has returned to supervisory duty. |
 |
| Happy birds. |
In between cooking lunch I went out to make sure I had no escapees but all was good. I think this was a good days work done in just the first 5 hours so I may just take the afternoon off and enjoy some reading time. I'm very please with this progress so far hopefully it won't take me too long to complete the whole project. I'm guessing 3 weeks since I can't buy all the remaining materials that are needed right away. The new bonus area the birds have should keep them happy for awhile and soon I will have the whole project done.
 |
| Happy Ducks. |
No comments:
Post a Comment